Thursday, February 20, 2014

Nico Osteria Named One of GQ's '25 Most Outstanding Restaurants of 2014'

Nico's cocktail lounge (Photo: One Off Hospitality)

What an achievement in two months!

GQ just released Alan Richman's annual best new restaurant guide and One Off Hospitality's Nico Osteria was the only Chicago eatery to make the cut.
With James Beard winning chef Paul Kahan as one of the partners and former avec and Publican chef Erling Wu-Bower at the helm of the Italian seafood-focused restaurant, this actually doesn't come as a surprise. The restaurant—which opened in early December 2013—came in at #10 on the list, and here is what Richman had to say:

"The raw-fish preparations—crudo on the menu—are simpler than most, the seafood standing out. They combine something raw, something fruity, something crunchy, and (usually but not always) something spicy, just enough for heat to linger on the tongue. For me, escolar with avocado, blood orange, and capers is the irresistible crudo combination. The homemade pastas taste buttery. Try the fresh tagliolini with tiny clams."

Here's the entire list of brand-new restaurants that also made the cut across the country.

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The Dish:

Audarshia Townsend's introduction to the online world began as one of the first two editors at metromix.com--where they set the tone for the entertainment site's cutting-edge style. She also has written lifestyle features for the Chicago Tribune, Essence, Los Angeles Times, Michigan Avenue, about.com, playboy.com, Huffington Post, DiningChicago.com, World's Best Bars and Upscale magazine. Additionally, she has appeared regularly on CLTV, WGN-TV and WCIU-TV's "You & Me This Morning" for cocktail-, dining- and nightlife-related features. In 2007, Audarshia launched 312DiningDiva.com, a daily dining-and-drinking blog keeping readers up to date on Chicago happenings. Her interests include staying fit with a regular Forrest Yoga practice, cycling in the city, and Flywheel Chicago classes.